402 - Apple Card's Big Bank Switch, Vision Pro Reality Checks, and CES 2026 Tech

The latest In Touch With iOS with Dave Ginsburg he is joined by Jill McKinley, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, Guy Serle. The first In Touch With iOS episode of 2026 kicks off with major Apple news as Chase becomes the new issuer of Apple Card, sparking discussion about rewards, savings accounts, and what changes may come. The panel also dives into Apple Vision Pro updates, including immersive LA Lakers games and media scrutiny around sales performance. Plus, we cover beta security updates, Apple Music enhancements, a Logitech certificate mishap, standout CES 2026 tech, and new AI integrations shaping email and music discovery. The show notes are at InTouchwithiOS.com Direct Link to Audio Links to our Show Give us a review on Apple Podcasts! CLICK HERE we would really appreciate it! Click this link Buy me a Coffee to support the show we would really appreciate it. intouchwithios.com/coffee Another way to support the show is to become a Patreon member patreon.com/intouchwithios Website: In Touch With iOS YouTube Channel In Touch with iOS Magazine on Flipboard Facebook Page BlueSky Mastodon X Instagram Threads Summary Episode 402 opens the new year with Dave Ginsburg joined by Guy Serle, Marty Jencius, Jill McKinley, and Eric Bolden for a wide-ranging Apple ecosystem discussion. The panel begins with breaking news that Chase will replace Goldman Sachs as the Apple Card issuer, a transition expected to take up to 24 months. The group debates potential impacts on daily cash back, high-yield savings, international availability, and whether Chase branding could alter the card's famously minimalist experience. Attention then turns to Apple Vision Pro, highlighted by the announcement of immersive LA Lakers games available to users in select regions. While excited about Apple's continued push into immersive sports, the panel addresses recent reports questioning Vision Pro sales and critiques media narratives framing the platform as a failure. The consensus: Vision Pro is still early, niche, and evolving—especially for enterprise and immersive content. On the software side, Apple's background security update testing raises interesting questions about transparency and user control, while Wi-Fi 6E performance boosts arrive quietly for newer Macs and iPads. Apple Music also gets some love, with new playlist folders, pinned music, and lock-screen animations, plus deeper discussion on whether Apple Music is now compelling enough to replace Spotify for some users. The episode also touches on a Logitech mouse certificate expiration that temporarily broke advanced features, reinforcing concerns about cloud-dependent hardware. From CES 2026, the team highlights smart bird feeders, AI-powered TVs, and a massive 52-inch 6K Dell display, sparking debate about longevity, privacy, and the growing creep of "always-connected" devices. Finally, the panel explores AI integrations in Gmail and Apple Music, including ChatGPT-powered playlist creation. Topics and Links Breaking News Chase to become new issuer of Apple Card Apple Card Issuer Transition JPMorgan Chase Reaches a Deal to Take Over the Apple Credit Card In Touch With Vision Pro this week. Immersive Los Angeles Lakers Games Coming to Vision Pro on January 9 M5 Vision Pro launch likely made minimal sales impact: report Analysts need Apple Vision Pro to be a flop, whether Apple considers it one or not Beta this week. No updates this week. Apple releases iOS 26.3 security test for beta users, details here Apple Again Tests Background Security Updates in iOS 26.3 and macOS Tahoe 26.3 In Touch With Mac this week Apple Tests Background Security Updates in iOS 26.3 and macOS Tahoe 26.3 iPadOS and macOS 26.2 Double 5GHz Wi-Fi Bandwidth for Wi-Fi 6E Devices RIP MacUpdater – keep all your apps up-to-date effortlessly Dave tries Updatest as an alternative. Dave tries this Mac app to manage all your Mac drives. DriveBuddy Never Lose a File Again with Drivebuddy.io Other Topics Apple Music iOS 26 gave Apple Music three of my favorite new features in years It's not you–a Logitech blunder borked your Mac mouse, but there's a fix CES News For Eric CES 2026: Birdbuddy Debuts New Smart Bird Feeders CES 2026: Google Brings Gemini AI Features to Google TV, Previewing What Apple TV Could Get Dell announces massive 52-inch 6K display with Thunderbolt News Apple Store Moving in Montréal, Get the Mac and iPhone Wallpaper Now Apple TV just won prestigious awards for three hit series and one movie Apple Fitness+ launches new features for building exercise habits The Shure MV88 (again) plugs right into your iPhone Gmail Users Can Now Use These Three AI Features Without Paying Generate Apple Music Playlists With ChatGPT Announcements Macstock 9 has wrapped for 2025. Attendees will receive a link for the session recordings